Romance of a Ranger Part 2
by InLivingWeDie.InDyingWeLive
Summary: Princess Nixa and Garret escaped to Hibernia from Morgarath. Nixa deals with losing her family as well as training to be a Ranger. Now she's a school teacher and King Ferris is taken with her it seems.


**Some of you may or may not know that I have adopted ****Romance of a Ranger Part 2**** from MisfiredSynapse. This is what she started and I will be adding on to it with the rest of the chapters. If you want to read the first story you can look at her account or go to the address on mine.**

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* * *

**_Chapter 1_

The Hibernian mountains were a harsh, unforgiving place, not somewhere you'd want to be stuck for weeks on end. Even the Hibernians tried to avoid the higher peaks, only the goatherds building temporary shelters up there. Usually, the only living creatures on the mountains were goats, wolves and birds. But on one particularly stormy, cold night, two possibly human figures moved silently through the trees, almost invisible to any observers. The figure in front flitted from tree to tree, the outline distorted by the green-and-grey mottled cloak. The smaller figure followed slowly, with less care, and two horses following behind.

Suddenly, the smaller figure stumbled forward on a tree root, falling into the snow. Within seconds, the taller figure knelt beside the fallen human.

"Nixa, come on. It's not that far now." Garret said softly, shielding Nixa's exposed face from the wind. The young woman sobbed once, her cheeks flushed with cold. Worried, the old Ranger pulled a thick glove from his hand and pressed his palm to her forehead. Despite the freezing temperatures, the young Princess was burning up. _The poison's further along than I thought…_ he said to himself, inwardly cursing as two furry noses pushed against them.

"Charu, stand." he said, louder this time so the little dark horse could hear him. Obediently, the animal froze in his place. Lifting Nixa up, Garret stood and hoisted her across Charu's back, taking some rope and binding her lightly, just so she wouldn't fall off.

"Come." Garret ordered, setting off again. He abandoned his former stealth, opting instead for speed. Nixa didn't have much time, if she didn't get to shelter soon, she'd be dead. _I can't do that to Will… or Daniel… _Garret thought, mentally pleading with the Princess to hold on.

Within minutes that passed like hours, Garret finally set eyes on the small, abandoned cabin that was to be their home until the winter ended. Instinct telling him that it was safe, he led the horses to the small lean-to, but immediately decided against it. Half the roof was off, and there was no shelter at all. At least the wind had stopped trying to blow them back down the mountain. Turning back to the animals and Princess, he frowned with worry as he helped Nixa down.

"Easy, Nixa." he whispered, fearing for her life as she slumped in his arms, her head lolling and her eyes rolling back in her head. Her mouth was open, and Nixa struggled to breathe. Feeling tears pricking his eyes, stinging in the cold, Garret hurriedly helped her inside, lying her down his own cloak and covering her with hers. He had left the door open, and along with the gusts of snow, two horses had followed him in. Garret allowed himself to marvel at their boldness, but then shut the door against the cold and attempted to light a fire with the meagre wood supplied. It would be enough to last the night, but he'd have to go out in the morning.

Reaching for Alagan's saddlebags, he dug around until his hand closed around a small vial of green liquid. Grimly, Garret noticed that there was only half left. _I hope she can hold on, _he thought, lifting the Princess' head onto his lap and allowing two drops to fall between her lips. She choked and he panicked slightly, putting the vial's stopper in and storing it away safely.

"Nixa? Princess, come on, wake up. _Nixa!"_ he snapped, determined not to let her slip away. They'd come so far, in such a short amount of time- two weeks, in fact, and at least the distance across the Stormwhite Sea. When he'd suggested going up the mountains, their Hibernian guides had left them on their own. Although they'd agreed to help, they weren't about to risk their lives for two Rangers. Garret was jerked out of his thoughts by a hacking cough from Nixa, and a shiver. Shaking her shoulders lightly, Garret sighed with relief as she opened her eyes and smiled lightly.

"Did we do it, Ranger?" she asked. He nodded and silently reached for the antidote again, giving her another two drops. Soon, she was able to sit up and watch the fire.

"How much is left?" she asked, after nearly an hour of silence. The little amount she'd had would sustain her for a week or more, depending on how much she pushed her strength.

"Enough." Garret replied shortly, stowing the vial away in his cloak. He couldn't afford to have her worrying, or skimping on doses. He remembered how hard and swiftly the poison had taken control. He himself had been affected, but not nearly the severity of Nixa.

"How did he get to me?" she asked, her voice barely audible. Garret tried to smile at her, but he felt the lump at the back of his throat. She had changed dramatically since the loss of Daniel, nearly two months previously.

"The water we brought with us, I assume. I… may have helped him by making you drink so much." he said heavily, feeling Nixa's glare through the cowl of his cloak.

"Don't you dare blame yourself, Ranger. Neither of us could have foreseen this." she said, gesturing at her pallid, ill appearance. Garret attempted another smile, this time succeeding slightly better than before. Nixa returned the gesture, but he noticed it didn't quite reach her eyes. There was still a shadow hiding there, a hint of sadness that had never been before.

"Time to sleep, Nix. It's been a long journey, and you're unwell." he said, making a mental note to fashion better bedding for them both. As it was, he knew they'd be cold until he could fix the holes in the walls, even with the fire he had built.

"Are you going hunting in the morning?" Nixa asked, mumbling slightly. She was huddled beneath his cloak, her form shaking slightly. Humming a positive reply, he waited for the inevitable.

"Can I come?" he heard the joke in her voice, and chuckled.

"If you can walk, sure." he said, and she giggled lightly. Slowly, her breathing evened out and her eyes remained closed for longer as she fell into a deep sleep. Garret could only pray that it was dreamless.

o0.0o

The Ranger woke early in the morning, to the surprising sound of birds. He hoped the door would be clear, and one look from the window reassured him of an escape route. Garret didn't fear human attack, but animal. He had heard wolves running about the night before, and the horses were jumpy as it was. Deciding the animals could stay indoors, he shook his head as he walked into the sunlight, the storm from the night before completely gone. The sky was blue, but the dark clouds had gathered in the distance, and he bit his lip as he thought of another storm.

_At least we won't be walking in this one, _he thought, comforting himself. His sleep had been fitful, every time he dozed off, he heard Nixa shift or snore lightly, and he'd be alert again, waiting to see if she were alright. Worse, every time he tried to sleep, he snapped himself back to reality with the thought of Nixa _not _breathing or moving. He wanted to wake her for more antidote, but he knew she needed the sleep. Foolishly, he had pushed them both up the mountain when it was clear they both were not in the best condition for a treacherous hike.

Hearing movement from the cabin, Garret turned quickly and saw Charu's inquisitive face watching him, eyes asking him for reassurance.

"I'm here, Charu." he called softly, coaxing both him and Alagan out. The snow had stopped falling sometime during the night, and there were no tracks of wolves that Garret could see. He quickly circled the clearing, gathering saltbushes and pine leaves. The latter he carried inside, and the saltbush he gave to the horses. Both snorted at him, and he just snorted back.

"That's all there is." he said, somewhat apologetically. Quickly arranging the pine needles into a rough mattress, Garret turned his thoughts to hunting. Hearing movement from Nixa, he knelt beside the fire to stoke it up once more.

"Garret?" she mumbled, and he turned to her.

"Morning, Princess." he said softly, the antidote in his hand already. She opened her eyes, and he helped her to sit up.

"Did you sleep well?" he asked, giving her one drop before putting it away again. Nixa shrugged and looked around, taking in her surroundings.

"So-so. And yourself?" she asked, standing up with his help. He lead her to the pine bed, and spread her cloak for her as she flopped upon it. He didn't answer her, he couldn't find it in him to lie.

"I am going hunting soon. I expect you to be either asleep or chopping firewood when I return." he said, and Nixa yawned for effect.

"I hear and obey." she said, her eyes closed again. Shaking his head at her impudence, Garret swept his cloak from the ground and clasped it on.

"I won't be gone long, Nixa. Your bow is strung and by the door." he whispered, and without receiving a reply, he ran into the forest, his longbow on his back. Alagan and Charu watched him go, and he paused to give them the signal for _stay_ as he left. Garret was a Ranger of few words.

o0.0o

Nixa heard the door shut softly behind Garret, and she slowly sat up. She hated being fussed over, especially when there was work to do. She was still sick, she knew, and nowhere near well, but the antidote gave her almost two hours where she was almost back to normal.

"Right then…" she said, the mood to work disappearing as she caught sight of the disarray in which she found herself. Shaking her head in disgust at her own lack of willpower, she made her way to the door, scooping up her bow as she went. Stepping out into the snow, she saw the direction Garret had taken immediately. She briefly considered following him, but discarded the idea immediately. She knew the Ranger's abilities, and she knew her own.

"Charu!" she called, and the little dark bay ran to her immediately. Smiling, she ducked inside and pulled out a curry comb, going over his sleek, mahogany sides until he shone. Becoming jealous of the treatment his friend was receiving, Alagan pushed his nose into Nixa, a little harder than usual, just to remind her that there was _two_ of them. Laughing lightly, Nixa turned to him.

"Alright, Bossy. Stand still." she said, starting the rhythmic brushing on him too. Soon, both horses shone and looked quite pleased with themselves. Nixa, however, was tired out completely by the rigorous workout she'd inflicted. Shocked at her own physical condition, she lowered her head and walked back to the cabin, sitting on the steps.

"Maybe I could shoot…" she wondered aloud, trying to draw her bow from the sitting position. Failing that, she stood and drew it fully, but found that she could not hold it. Morgarath's poison had stolen all the strength from her limbs. Shaking her head sadly, she resigned herself to practising with her knives, marking four targets on trees, each at a different angle, height and distance. She found throwing these were easier, since they required little effort on her part.

An hour later, Nixa had completely exhausted herself. The sun was high in the sky, and she had managed to improve her accuracy, or so she thought. Gasping for breath, she barely made it inside before she collapsed on the pine bed Garret had made for her. _I want to go home… _she thought, slipping into unconsciousness.

o0.0o

Garret slipped silently through the trees, his eyes constantly scanning for both wolf and rabbit. He was hoping to find something to eat, maybe a few more saltbushes for the horses. He judged that the storm wasn't far off, and he wanted to beat it home. _Home… sounds so strange, _he thought, picturing the ramshackle cabin high on the hill. His thoughts strayed to the sleeping Princess, and he hoped she'd be alright alone. He still held the antidote, and she'd need some when she woke.

The crack of a twig made him freeze in place, his green-and-grey mottled cloak slightly out of place in the black-and-white of the mountains. Ruefully, he remembered the three other cloaks he had packed, and wished he'd thought of them earlier. Pushing all other thoughts aside, he scanned the forest for the animal that had made the noise. Finding nothing, he looked at his own feet… a twig snapped clean in two beneath his left foot. Silently cursing, he forced himself to concentrate.

_When I volunteered to protect her, I didn't know it would do this to me…_ he thought, before giving in to the primal hunting instinct all humans still carry deep inside. His only thought was to catch, kill and eat. He thought only of _survival._

One fruitless hour later, Garret was ready to give up. The storm clouds seemed to gather speed as he watched them, racing towards him as if their very existence depended on getting him caught in their fury. _I guess it kind of does… _Garret thought, before a small movement made him freeze. _There!_ A small rabbit was making it's way onto clear ground, picking at what little grass pushed through the snow. Silently, slowly, Garret reached back for an arrow, knocked and drew his bow… the rabbit hadn't moved… _breathe, visualise… breathe… release! _Garret followed the simple mantra, the arrow flying true.

The rabbit never knew what hit it. Garret smiled grimly as he pulled the game bag from his pocket, cleaning his arrow in the snow with one hand as he stowed the animal away. It wasn't much, but he could manage to make a weak broth. It was something, at least.

_Time to go home… _he thought, standing up and moving back along his earlier path.

o0.0o

Nixa was indeed sleeping when Garret returned. He didn't wake her, but began cooking their meal. With the large saltbush he had pulled back, he'd also found wild onions frozen in ice. Charu and Alagan had greeted him happily, immediately relieving him of the food. He heard her stirring once or twice, the movement reassuring him that she was alright. When she began talking in her sleep, he felt the tears pricking his eyes.

"_Daniel… no… don't leave…" _Nixa mumbled, startling Garret. She had dreamed of her late husband before, but always good dreams, never anything bad. Suddenly, she cried out and sat up, panting. The Ranger dropped what he was doing to run to her, kneeling beside her and pulling her close.

"Shhh, it's alright…" he whispered, the Princess sobbing into his shirt.

"He left me… he left me…" she sobbed, as Garret rocked her soothingly. Both of them shared the pain, knowing that they may never see home again

* * *

_Chapter 2_

The large Hibernian village of Mountshannon was nice and quiet at the beginning of summer, the summer after Nixa and Alana arrived in Hibernia. Not many people- local or not- venturing that far up the mountains. The people themselves were quite content with the way things were; their King Ferris never asked for any taxes, or levies, he let them do as they pleased. For that, they respected him. Garret and Nixa, however, pitied him.

"If there's a war, they won't be ready." Garret mumbled under his breath. Only his companion caught the muffled words, and nodded slightly in recognition.

"Ferris doesn't rule. He governs." she said with obvious disdain, and Garret snorted.

"Don't let Crowley catch you saying that. He's a governor, after all." the elder replied. Both wore their cloaks, and their conversation was so quiet that anyone passing would think them to be silent. The horses' footfalls masked any noise they might have made anyway.

"But he's still a Ranger. I'll soften him up with coffee." she muttered in return, drawing her cloak closer around her body. She had, for the most part, recovered from Morgarath's poison, but her condition was far from optimum. She had continued with her training as soon as she was able though, and her archery had barely wavered.

"Speaking of which…" Garret said quietly, tilting his head towards an inn. Nodding once, Nixa nudged Charu to slow his pace to a walk, and they dismounted together as they approached.

"Hullo, the inn!" Garret called, his voice barely loud enough to be heard. Nixa couldn't help but smile at her mentor. He shot her a warning look, with one eyebrow raised, before turning back and clearing his throat.

"Hullo!" his second shout was indeed more successful, as a stout man came to greet them, with a smile on his lips and a booming voice. Nixa couldn't help but notice the coldness in his eyes, and the tense way he stood.

"Greetings, stranger! Welcome to Mountshannon!" the man boomed, shaking Garret's hand far more enthusiastically than needed. When he headed for her, she extended her hand- not expecting the rough, uncaring way he pulled her close to him and planted a sloppy kiss on her lips. Nixa stood silently, gaping, before closing her mouth and giving Garret a carbon copy of his earlier stare. _Now we're even, Ranger._ she thought to herself, smiling slightly.

"We are looking for a room for… say a week or two?" Garret said casually, leaning against Alagan's flanks. Nixa mirrored his action, draping her arm over Charu's shoulders and letting him support her.

"Can do! Rolf! Stable the horses!" he shouted, stirring a small boy to run to his side. He went to Garret first, bowing deeply, and held out his hand for the reins. Garret seemed to weigh him up, before he nodded grudgingly and pulled off his saddlebags, leaving the reins trailing on the ground. Nixa followed suit, moments later, slightly surprised by her friend giving up Alagan. It was well-known that a Ranger's horse was often his best friend; Garret and Alagan were no exception. Nodding to the boy, Garret took Nixa's bags as they hurried after the boisterous innkeeper, both longing for a cup of coffee and a soft, warm bed.

o0.0o

A year had passed since they'd fled Araluen, with Nixa slowly recovering from Morgarath's poison. She still had bouts of illness in extreme weather, but otherwise was fine. Thanks to Garret, she kept up her training as a Ranger, although her skill with the knives was always going to be razor sharp. She'd honed those skills while she was too weak to fire the bow.

The two of them bought a little cottage, abandoned and run-down, at the higher edge of Mountshannon. Both had a better resistance to the cold, and since neither could openly claim to be Araluan Rangers, Nixa found herself a job as a schoolteacher in town, under the name of Miss Alana.

"And therefore, King Ferris became King." Nixa finished a historic story, wondering slightly at the mention of the missing 'Prince Halt'. She knew Garret's former apprentice was Hibernian by birth.

"Miss Alana? Might you let us go early, 'tis the Hunting after all." one particularly brave student called. Nixa sighed to herself- she should have known. The annual festival, celebrated at the end of winter, where all the men would go up into the mountains to find themselves either a wolf skin, bearskin or goat.

"Alright, be off with you then." she said in broken Hibernian. She was still learning their tongue, claiming to be a shipwrecked schoolteacher from Araluen. Crying out in joy, the class of just fifteen bolted for the doors, leaving a hurricane of mess in their wake.

"Great." Nixa muttered, setting her mind to the task of cleaning up before she headed home. _I hope Garret's been hunting, _she thought mildly, trying to get the ink stains out of a desk.

"Having any luck, Lady Alana?" a male voice came from the door, and Nixa turned swiftly to see who visited. Closing her eyes for the briefest moment, she allowed herself a small sigh of frustration as she recognised King Ferris. For a man who preferred to stay inside his castle walls at Din Edwin, he certainly made it a habit to seek her out.

"Not as much as I would wish, Majesty." she replied politely, curtseying to him. The cool formality of her stance wasn't lost on the King, much less his three bodyguards.

"Would you treat poor old man a drink?" he asked, seeing the pitcher on her desk. He was not an old man, far from it. In fact, he was probably only a few years older than herself. As for poor, he was a million things Tipping her head, Nixa rose from the floor to obey. She attempted to brush the dirt and dust from her skirts, but only succeeded in dirtying her hands.

"Forgive me, Sire, for I have nought to offer but water and wooden mead mugs." she said, handing him his drink. Ferris tipped his head and looked around the dingy classroom.

"You have managed to make a school. I am impressed." he said, and Nixa flushed at the compliment. She had fixed the building up as much as she could, but they had a long way to go yet.

"It seems you could use some funding. I happen to have the money, and it could be yours." Ferris continued mildly. Holding her breath, Nixa barely dared to look at him as he raised his eyebrows at her. Frowning with déjà vu, she shook her head and turned towards the window, looking up the mountain as the crowd of villagers made their way up the mountain.

"The money I have is suffice, My Lord. I cannot ask any more of these people." she replied, fully intent on refusing any offer he made her.

"Oh, Lady, I was warned of your stubbornness." he sighed, his chair scraping back. Nixa held herself tall, not turning around. She hoped he was leaving. Suddenly, his words impacted and she whirled around, forgetting her place and her manner in an instant.

"Warned? By who?" she snapped, immediately realising who she addressed and adorned the words with a bow and a sugary apology.

"Just a few, here and there." he said, bowing to her and turning to the door.

"By your leave, Lady?" he asked, not waiting for her answer. He slammed the door behind him, and Nixa sank into a chair. Three times Ferris had come to Mountshannon, and three times he had propositioned marriage to her. Three times she'd refused, but he would not let up. He managed to annoy her to no end, and he seemed fully aware of the fact.

"Insufferable _prat._" she spat, glaring at the door before tucking in to her work once more. She wanted to be home before dark.

o0.0o

Garret wove his way through the crowds towards Nixa's schoolhouse. He'd seen the children leave early, and had forsaken chopping wood to escort his friend home. _Besides,_ he thought, _young apprentice such as she should share the work…_ he knew the jibe would irritate her, and chuckled lightly to himself. Despite being ignored on all sides, he still stuck to the sides of the road, always alert.

As he neared the small brick building, he saw a furious King Ferris heading his way. Jumping into the shadows, he heard the King muttering as he passed.

"… refuse me, the nerve!" his voice was angry, and he stormed away. Garret watched him for a while, before bolting into the schoolhouse.

o0.0o

"Nixa!" the alarmed shout caused Nixa to spin around, her heart beating wildly. Seeing Garret standing in her doorway, she glared at him half-heartedly.

"I'm not deaf y'know." she replied sarcastically. The Ranger had the grace to look abashed, but Nixa just waved his concern away.

"And my name is _Alana._" she said pointedly. Garret looked around, and seeing nobody, he shrugged.

"I saw the King leaving. He was in a foul mood too." he said casually, his younger companion making no move to reply. Instead, she was immediately back at her work.

"I will be too, if people don't stop interrupting me." she muttered, knowing full well Garret heard her. Sighing, he made no move to question her, but grabbed a broom and started sweeping.

o0.0o

"What are you going to say to the King?"

Garret and Nixa walked side-by-side, their figures nearly invisible in the gloom. They walked in silence, Garret's question lingering in the air.

"You honestly think I should accept?" she asked softly.

"I think you should. He'll be able to look after you, you'd have money. You could whip these people into shape." he replied, making Nixa snort.

"That'll take a miracle." she muttered. Garret stared at her and stopped on the path.

"You _are_ a miracle, Ni-Alana! You survived Morgarath's poison, the Wargal attack, my training, losing-"

"I'm not a miracle." she interrupted smoothly, knowing full well what he was about to say. The pain still grated her every day, and there wasn't a moment that she didn't dream of her Will, or Daniel, and pray that she could be home soon.

"Sorry." Garret apologized, and they walked on. Nixa had no idea what she was going to say, how she could refuse the King? He may disgust her, but there was something so… familiar about him.

"There's something awfully familiar-looking about him." she said, Garret knowing exactly who she meant.

"You've never met before?" he asked, and she shook her head slowly.

"Unless he has a brother, no." she said, smiling now. The sullen mood gone, Nixa grinned. She knew what to do.

"I'm going to refuse." she said, and Garret gave a rare grin.

"Oh really, _Princess_?" was all he said, earning a laugh and a light shove from his younger companion.

"I didn't come all this way just to be stuck in court again." she pouted, ignoring the use of her abdicated title. Garret raised his eyebrows at her, staying silent.

"Besides, I'm not Queen material." she said, indicating her soiled dress and streaks of dirt on her cheeks. She wore her Ranger's cloak over top, and he knew her knives were on her somewhere. Garret's mind suddenly flicked to her sixteenth birthday party. He had been there, just for a moment, and seen her dancing with Daniel.

"You could have fooled me." he whispered to himself. Nixa either didn't hear, or chose to ignore it.

"Shall we go home?" he asked. Nixa smiled at some private joke and nodded.

* * *

_Chapter 3_

Nixa and Garret's life in Hibernia flourished. She spent most of her time teaching her classes or secretly training, and he spent his watching over her or hunting and fixing their cabin to imitate his from Araluen. Nixa found many ways to pick on the irony of her situation; she'd just received her father's blessing to become a Ranger, only to flee and be right back where she started. Hiding her skills, being a 'good girl'.

"Nixa, will you return before dark?" Garret asked quietly, catching her arm as she tried to slip out without waking him. She smirked, she wasn't surprised he'd heard her.

"I should do, Garret. Why the concern?" she replied, making sure her dagger was still hidden under her skirts. Her mentor shrugged and looked out at the forest they'd come to call home during the summer. They both loved having their own personal world, and it was good for the two horses to be away from the town.

"No real reason. I just like to make sure you're alright." he said softly. Nixa sighed and touched his cheek.

"I'm not a dainty princess anymore, Garret. I'm your apprentice." she whispered. He nodded and followed her to the treeline, his bow slung across his shoulders. He watched her make her way carefully over the icy ground, her thin frame finally looking as though she were in full health once more. It had been three years since they fled Araluen; two since she'd began the long hard road to recovery.

"You're also a mother, Nixa." he said firmly. Her eyes glared at him furiously.

"You don't think I know that? There's not a day I don't think of him." her tone was cold, but her eyes betrayed the pain she hid. Garret almost regretted bringing up the topic of her son, but then he knew it would convince her to see his point of view.

"I will escort you home if you'll be late." he said determinedly, turning on his heel and walking away. He felt his chest tightening, his lungs reluctant to work properly. He stopped briefly, clasping a hand to his chest. It was the first time he'd really felt his age.

"I won't be late, Garret." Nixa called after him, her voice sounding far away. When he turned back to her, she'd disappeared. He quickly checked where she'd been standing and barely saw the indents of her feet. He smiled.

"Still as talented as the day we met." he muttered, following her path. King Ferris was quite fond of his Princess, and Garret wasn't impressed.

o0.0o

"Good morning, students!" Nixa trilled, skipping down the path to the sight of fifteen children waiting for her. They all held a sheet of paper with handwriting on it, and their teacher had to smile.

"Morning, Alana." they chorused, filing in through the door behind her. She didn't face them until the room was silent, her eyes focussed on the window. She had never liked being stuck in a room all day, but she kept up the happy façade for their sakes.

"I see all of you have done your homework." she remarked, holding a hand out to collect it. She was distracted as she did, Garret's words from the morning echoing in her ears.

"_You're also a mother, Nixa." _that comment had cut her. She longed for home, to be free. Reaching the head of the class again, she turned around to smile brightly.

"Right, great job everyone. Today we will be learning ten new words. Everyone grab a list and repeat them after me…"

o0.0o

Garret was alone in their hut, and he hated it. His arms and legs hurt, his head hurt, everything hurt and for no good reason. He hated to feel helpless, but that paled in comparison when he realised he could barely draw his bow. When he released one arrow, it still flew straight and true to course, but he came away trembling and worse for wear. With a feral growl, he threw one of his knives angrily, the thud when it hit a tree comforting him a little.

Leaving it there, he turned to let the horses roam around in the round yard he and Nixa had built. Slowly, he felt himself tire and he left the horses, heading back indoors to attempt to light the fire.

"At least I'm good for housekeeping." he muttered angrily, throwing wood into a pile. Suddenly, he missed Araluen as much as Nixa did. He fell asleep dreaming of home.

o0.0o

Nixa's day flew by in a mad rush, after her morning class ran off home and her afternoon students joined her for their period. She taught younger ones in the morning and elder ones during the warmest part of the day, when nobody worked. That routine kept everyone happy.

"Right, everyone grab your workbooks. Patrik, don't throw your food like that, it's a waste! Hana, hurry up! Ferric, Warna! Stop snogging in a corner and take your seats!" Nixa always had trouble settling them down to class, but her reprimanding finally reaped the rewards as the class all took their seats, ready to learn.

"Thank you! Right, now I believe I set a little homework yesterday. Did anyone find a yellow flower with blue spots?" she asked. They were learning a little science, and as a group the class had all demanded biology.

"I did! Mum grows them in the garden." Jynnifer called, holding up the flowers triumphantly. Nixa beamed as she took them.

"Great! These are called golden carnations, and they only grow here in Mountshannon. They're used in healing lotions for burns, and you can add them to stews for extra flavour. Just- Patrik, don't eat them!" she shouted at her most mischievous student. He gave her a glare and muttered a swearword under his breath.

"Language." Nixa snapped sharply, turning around to write on her board what she'd just said. Most of the class, except Patrik, started copying it down.

"Miss Alana! Patrik's running away!" Gwindal cried, and the boy groaned as he trudged back to his seat.

"Let him run away. He won't get to see what I'm going to show you." Nixa retorted, turning back to survey her class. She walked to the door and held it open.

"Go on, Patrik. You wanted to go home, so go." she said, smiling brightly. Defiantly, Patrik stood up and walked to the door.

"I guess you don't want to learn how to brew the most delicious rabbit stew… or make a balm that can soothe the rawest of blisters." Nixa said lightly, watching him closely. Patrik froze, halfway out the door.

"No!" he shouted, and slammed it on his way out. Nixa turned to the class and motioned for silence.

"Too bad Patrik isn't here. I was going to give him the job-list for today. Oh well, I guess someone else will have to do it." everyone knew what she was doing, and she was sure that even Patrik knew. That didn't stop her trying.

"After this, I'm going to teach you all hunting methods. I've brought a recurve bow you can all have a look at, but the arrows I left at home. How many of you have used a weapon like this before?" Nixa asked, holding up her recurve for the class to see. She noticed a shadow at the door and smiled to herself. Just two people put up their hands, giving Nixa a sign that the pratical hunting lesson would be well received.

"Right then. I want each of you to-"

"Miss Alana?" Patrik muttered under his breath, the door creeping open. He looked up at her sheepishly.

"Yes, Patrik?" she asked brightly. He shifted his weight and stared at the floor, the roof, anywhere but Nixa.

"Could I stay?" he asked hopefully, finally looking at her. Nixa smiled and pointed to his desk.

"Have a seat, Patrik. I'm glad you came back."

* * *

**MisfiredSynapse**


End file.
